Are phone books cluttering your home?

By TIMES STAFF
Published August 1, 2007

COUNTYWIDE

New phone books have arrived, so recycle that old one.

Residents with curbside collection in Belleair, Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo and Oldsmar can put their old phone books in their curbside recycling bin. Other residents can go to one of 40 dropoff locations around the county.

Most dropoff sites have bins labeled "phone books." If not, put the phone books in the "mixed paper" or "magazines" bins but not in the "newspaper" bin. For a list of phone book recycling sites, visit www.pinellascounty.org/utilities or call (727) 464-7500.

Pinellas residents discard more than 2-million phone books annually. To reduce the number of phone books delivered to your office or house this year, call Verizon at 1-800-888-8448 or Yellow Book at 1-800-929-3556.

CLEARWATER

Learn how to be your own boss

Learn how to conduct a feasibility study, develop a business plan and obtain licensing to legally conduct business in Pinellas County from noon to 2 p.m. each Wednesday through August at the Pinellas County Economic Development Center, 13805 58th St. N. Suite 1-200. Call 453-7200.

PINELLAS PARK

They've got stories waiting to be shared

The Tampa Bay Storytellers Guild Story Swap meets the fourth Sunday of every month (except November and December) to share stories.

The public is invited to attend and share their stories.

Each program has a theme.

The programs are at 3 p.m., the fourth Sunday of each month, at Pinellas Park Station, 5851 Park Blvd. For information, call Billie Noakes at 647-8057.

COUNTYWIDE

Make a difference and mentor a child

Gulf Coast Community Care needs volunteers age 30 and older for its mentoring program. Volunteers are matched with children of all ages throughout Pinellas County who need a positive adult role model. Many of the children are in foster care or live with a single parent who is going to school and working. No experience is necessary.

There are no costs. Volunteers spend a few hours a week doing simple activities such as reading, fishing, baking, teaching a craft or visiting a park with a child. For more information, call Beverly at 479-1841 or Bonnie at 479-1825.

COUNTYWIDE

Volunteers needed in mentoring program

Gulf Coast Community Care needs volunteers age 30 and older for its mentoring program. Volunteers are matched with children who need a positive adult role model. There is a need for volunteers for children of all ages. No experience necessary, no costs. Volunteers spend a few hours a week in activities like reading, fishing, baking, teaching a craft or visiting a park. Call 479-1841 or 479-1825.

The club also offers trials and provides opportunities to show your dog. The air-conditioned indoor club, 2101 Logan St., is near the Long Center. Call (727) 449-8738 or visit www.usdtc.org.

COUNTYWIDE

Big Brothers Big Sisters needs helpers

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County seeks volunteers willing to spend as little as an hour a week with local children who need mentors.

Volunteers must be at least 18 and have a valid driver's license.

For information, call (727) 518-8860 or visit www.bbbspc.org.

As part of the state's mentoring initiative, some employers allow an hour or so per week of administrative leave for employees to mentor.

Visit www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org to find out more about the program.

COUNTYWIDE

Join the team to fill backpacks for kids

The Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin is teaming up with Clothes To Kids to provide backpacks filled with school supplies and a week's supply of school clothes to 100 low-income Pinellas County schoolchildren.

The Junior League says donations of $15 will help a child begin the school year with confidence as he or she enters the classroom.

Checks can be made out to the Junior League and mailed to Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin, 1265 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin, FL 34698, Attn: Community Outreach-Back To School Fair.

Founded in 2002, Clothes To Kids, 1059 N Hercules Ave., provides free new and quality used clothing to low-income children in Pinellas County. Call 441-5050 or visit www.clothestokids.org.

001 or visit www.phjwx.org.

SAFETY HARBOR

Paint Your Heart Out seeks homes to paint

Paint Your Heart Out, a group that provides house painting to five neighbors in need, is seeking candidates for houses to paint next spring. The group paints houses for people who are financially or physically in need. The group also does landscaping and minor repairs to houses. Call (727) 724-1555, ext. 406.

COUNTYWIDE

County workshop set on starting a business

Learn how to develop a business plan and get the necessary permits to open up shop in Pinellas County from noon to 2 p.m. every Wednesday through August at the Pinellas County Business Development Center, 13805 58th St. N, Suite 1-200. The introductory workshop is an overview of the information needed to start a business. Call 453-7200.

COUNTYWIDE

Print out checklist for disaster survival items

Pinellas County Emergency Management has created a printable disaster survival kit that can make shopping for essential items to have on hand easier.

For information on hurricane preparedness, call 464-3800 or go to www.pinellascounty.org/emergency.

COUNTYWIDE

Teen volunteer guide is now available

In an effort to promote youth volunteerism and help students complete service projects, the Volunteer Action Center and 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares has published the Pinellas County Teen Guide to Service Learning.

The guide lists 26 agencies in Pinellas that have volunteer opportunities for teens who need to complete 75 hours for the Bright Futures scholarship or for other programs.

For a free copy of the guide, call 211 or visit www.211tampabay.org. The 211 information line has information on health and human services in Pinellas, Hernando and Citrus counties.

To reach the information line from a phone that's blocked from making three-digit calls, call 210-4211.

COUNTYWIDE

Sign up to help collect for Tampa Bay Harvest

Tampa Bay Harvest is an all-volunteer organization that collects food from restaurants, supermarkets and other sources to donate to food pantries and other local organizations that help feed the hungry. Volunteers are needed to transport food, help with coordinating and record-keeping, and assist with food-collecting events. Call 538-7777, ext. 1.

COUNTYWIDE

Kits available to help find missing children

Child Photo ID and Fingerprint kits help parents or guardians assemble identification information needed to search for a missing child.

To order a free kit, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the nonprofit Missing Children Awareness Foundation, 13094 95th St. N, Largo 33773. Call (727) 585-5360 or toll-free 1-800-741-7233.

COUNTYWIDE

U.S. Naval Sea Cadets offer youth programs

If you're a student between the ages of 11 and 17 and interested in learning about naval traditions through participation in activities on and off the water, the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets, a nonprofit youth organization, and part of the U.S. Navy's youth program, offers valuable life and work skills like teamwork, leadership and citizenship.

There are two types of programs, the Navy League Cadet for ages 11 to 13 and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets for ages 13 to 17. All cadets must be U.S. citizens, be in good moral standing, have a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average, be active in the community and be enrolled in school.

The Pinellas County Human Services Department provides free medical care on evenings and weekends to residents of Pinellas County who don't have medical insurance.

Services are provided on the county's Mobile Medical Unit at different sites throughout the county. Evening hours are 4 to 7:30 p.m.

Services available to uninsured residents during evening visits include basic primary care, lab services and prescriptions. The staff can also provide referrals to dental, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Emergency services are not provided.

Care is provided regardless of income or citizenship status.

For information on locations and times, call (727) 582-7595. Go to www.pinellascounty.org/humanservices/services.htm#mobile for a monthly calendar.